HomeNewsFoodgrains Bank calls Canadians to pray for end to famine on June 10

Foodgrains Bank calls Canadians to pray for end to famine on June 10

June 1, 20180 comment

CFGB photo by Matthew Sawatzky

Request for Global Day of Prayer comes from the All-Africa Council of Churches, World Council of Churches and World Evangelical Alliance

Canadian Foodgrains Bank is inviting Canadians to join Christians around the world in a Global Day of Prayer to End Famine on June 10.

The call for a Global Day of Prayer comes from the All-Africa Council of Churches, the World Council of Churches and the World Evangelical Alliance, which invites Christians to “stand in solidary with our sisters and brothers to support them to realize a future free of extreme poverty, hunger and violence.”

The day’s purpose is to unite faith communities around the world as a prayer and spiritual movement to:

Promote prayer, reflection and action with information and suggestions.

Bring awareness regarding famine’s impact on the most vulnerable children and families, and help address its root causes.

Connect with church-related and other humanitarian organizations that are currently working to bring immediate relief and positive long-term change so children and families can live out God’s aspiration for a dignified, peaceful and violence-free future.

Help communities and congregations uphold each other in prayer and support, by sharing experiences, challenge and solutions.

They state that after years of steady progress in reducing world hunger, the number of hungry people globally has started to climb. “Famine, drought and armed conflict are making millions of our sisters and brothers hungry, homeless and vulnerable to conflicts, violence and abuse,” they state in the release.

“We are glad to be able to join with people of faith around the world in praying for an end to hunger,” says Foodgrains Bank executive director Jim Cornelius. “Prayer is an important way Canadian Christians can stand in solidarity with their sisters and brothers around the world who do not get enough to eat.”

“Prayers of solidarity rooted in our hearts and minds lead to action as we seek to live out the teaching and example of Jesus.”

June 10 is the second annual Global Day of Prayer to End Famine. Last year’s day was organized in response to over 20 million people in South Sudan, northern Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen being at risk of famine, a number unprecedented in modern history. Although famine was mostly averted through the provision of critical humanitarian assistance, risk continues to be high for millions of people to experience famine or severe hunger in 2018.

Resources to help congregations and individuals (including prayers and resources for children and families) pray can be found

Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a partnership of 15 churches and church agencies working together to end hunger. In the 2017-18 budget year, the Foodgrains Bank provided over $37 million of assistance for over 800,000 people in 34 countries. Canadian Foodgrains Bank programs are undertaken with support from the Government of Canada provided through Global Affairs Canada. Assistance from the Foodgrains Bank is provided through its member agencies, which work with local partners in the developing world.